Jake Geary
October 2023
Jake
Geary
,
RN
ICU
Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center
Medford
,
OR
United States

 

 

 

Jake saved a life that night...It speaks volumes to who Jake is as a person, that he was willing to put his own needs aside to keep following that young man and help him return to safety.
Jake was taking care of a young man who was having a really hard time with his mental health. He was actively suicidal and struggling with agitation and perseveration. Jake was very calm and patient with him, showing him compassion even when he was difficult to interact with. During the evening, the patient decided to leave. He got out of his room and made a break for the emergency exit. He pulled the fire alarm and exited down the stairs and out of the building. Jake ran after him, down the road, yelling, "People love you! We just want to help you!" The patient slowed to a stop and then allowed Jake and MPD to escort him back to his ICU room, where he stayed the rest of the evening. The following morning, he told his day shift RN that the reason he eloped was that he was planning on throwing himself into traffic to end his life. He said that he decided not to and to stop running because he did not want to do it in front of that nurse who cared to much that he had chased him that far from the hospital. Jake saved a life that night. The patient is now willing to accept help and is cooperating with efforts to help him get well. I would never ask one of my staff to risk their own safety for that of a patient. It speaks volumes to who Jake is as a person, that he was willing to put his own needs aside to keep following that young man and help him return to safety. The world needs more nurses like Jake. I am so thankful to have him on our team.